Fireblazin'
by Spinosa
Summary: On the night of one cold leafbare, eight kits are born around the same time. Many cats are afraid of what these kits will bring. But there are bigger secrets revolving around these kits, secrets that can't stay hidden forever. Full Summary inside. Rated T for obvious reasons.
1. Prologue

**Full Summary:** On the night of one cold leafbare, eight kits are born around the same time. Such an event is unheard of throughout Clan history. Many cats are afraid of what these kits will bring. And some want them dead before they have a chance to live. But there are bigger secrets revolving around these kits, secrets that can't stay hidden forever. Sooner or later these kits will have to decide the fate of the Clans, and in the end, only four will survive.

* * *

><p>Allegiances<p>

_ThunderClan_

Leader: **Hollystar** – light golden she-cat with green eyes

Deputy: **Quickbreeze** – lithe black tom with amber eyes  
><strong>Apprentice: Mudpaw<strong>

Medicine Cat: **Grayleaf** – pale gray she-cat flecked with silver around the ears and muzzle; has a white strip on her nose and dark green eyes

Warriors:

**Sorrelfern** – tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

**Coalheart** – dark ginger tom with green eyes

**Ashfall** – dappled ginger she-cat with brown splashes and amber eyes  
><strong>Apprentice: Fallenpaw<strong>

**Tornclaw** – gray and white tom with yellow eyes  
><strong>Apprentice: Plumpaw<strong>

**Olivelight** – speckled pale gray she-cat with amber eyes

**Nutwhisker** – golden brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Leafstorm** – dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Fuzzytail** – light gray tom with yellow eyes

**Mintleaf** – silver she-cat with light green eyes

Apprentices:

**Mudpaw** – dark brown and white tom with amber eyes

**Fallenpaw** – tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**Plumpaw** – dusty brown she-cat with blue eyes

Queens:

**Fernshadow** – gray and ginger dappled she-cat with amber eyes. Mother to Poppykit and Wrenkit by Tornclaw.

**Whiteflower** – creamy white she-cat with amber eyes. Mother to Blazekit, Mossykit and Oakkit by Coalheart.

**Amberlight** – pale golden she-cat with amber eyes and a white underbelly. Expecting Quickbreeze's kits.

Elders:

**Lilyheart** – small dark tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Snowstorm** – white tom

**Dewstep** – gray and white tom

Kits:

**Poppykit** – small tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Wrenkit** – dappled brown and white she-cat with amber eyes

**Blazekit** – ginger tom with piercing green eyes

**Mossykit** – brown and white she-cat with amber eyes

**Oakkit** – light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

_ShadowClan_

Leader: **Scorchstar** – very old dark gray tom

Deputy: **Wolfheart** – light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat: **Bumblewind** – small dusky brown tom with amber eyes

Warriors

**Flamestrike** – pale ginger tom with green eyes  
><strong>Apprentice: Patchpaw<strong>

**Spottednose** – gray she-cat flecked with lighter gray specks on her muzzle

**Streakfur** – gray tom with streaks of dark gray running through his fur  
><strong>Apprentice: Honeypaw<strong>

**Dapplepelt** – tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

**Volewhisker** – dark brown tom with amber eyes  
><strong>Apprentice: Rainpaw<strong>

**Firewing** – ginger she-cat with piercing amber eyes  
><strong>Apprentice: Buzzardpaw<strong>

**Bearclaw** – large dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Jayheart** – gray and white tom with amber eyes

**Sparrowpelt** – lighter gray tom with yellow eyes

Apprentices:

**Patchpaw** – small black tom with specks of white mixed in his fur

**Rainpaw** – dappled gray she-cat with amber eyes

**Honeypaw** – light golden she-cat with amber eyes

**Buzzardpaw** – pale ginger tom with green eyes

Queens:

**Featherstorm** – very pale gray, almost white she-cat with light blue eyes. Mother to Nightkit and Fadekit by Streakfur.

**Redsky** – dark ginger she-cat with a single white paw. Expecting Volewhisker's kits.

Elders:

**Sootfall** – light gray tom with a white splash on his chest and one yellow eye. His other eye was clawed out by a badger.

Kits:

**Nightkit** – dark gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Fadekit** – lighter gray, almost white she-cat with blue eyes

_WindClan_

Leader: **Oatstar** – pale brown tabby tom

Deputy: **Ivywing** – gray-brown she-cat with amber eyes

Medicine Cat: **Eagletalon** – dark brown and white tom with amber eyes

Warriors:

**Palefur** – dusky brown tom with amber eyes

**Wingshadow** – dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes  
><strong>Apprentice: Pouncepaw<strong>

**Owltuft** – gray tom with unusually long ears  
><strong>Apprentice: Petalpaw<strong>

**Fallowleaf** – light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Willowstorm** – pale brown she-cat with a white underbelly and blue eyes

**Harefoot** – gray tabby tom with yellow eyes  
><strong>Apprentice: Sprucepaw<strong>

**Adderpelt** – dark gray and white tom with piercing yellow eyes

**Pollenfur** – golden brown tabby she-cat

**Dustcloud** – light brown and white tom with amber eyes

Apprentices:

**Sprucepaw** – gray and white she-cat with amber eyes

**Petalpaw** – pale gray she-cat with amber eyes

**Pouncepaw** – large gray and white tom with amber eyes

Queens:

**Cherryfoot** – dark ginger she-cat with green eyes. Mother of Breezekit by unknown tom, nursing Hazelkit.

Elders:

**Slightstorm** – black tom with a flash of white on his chest

Kits:

**Breezekit** – light ginger tom with green eyes

**Hazelkit** – silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

_RiverClan_

Leader: **Streamstar** – silvery gray she-cat with blue eyes

Deputy: **Duckfeather** – golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes  
><strong>Apprentice: Seedpaw<strong>

Medicine Cat: **Sweetbriar** – very pale ginger she-cat with light green eyes

Warriors:

**Sandrush** – ginger tom with darker ginger paws  
><strong>Apprentice: Icepaw<strong>

**Tinystep** – very small gray tom with amber eyes

**Pebblefur** – black she-cat with green eyes  
><strong>Apprentice: Goldenpaw<strong>

**Tanglethorn** – golden tabby tom with amber eyes

**Rushcloud** – creamy white tom with blue eyes  
><strong>Apprentice: Toadpaw<strong>

**Shinepool** – white she-cat flecked with gray

**Heronflight** – very pale gray and white she-cat with amber eyes

**Pikefur** – dark gray tom with pale yellow eyes

**Splashnose** – speckled tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentices:

**Icepaw** – small white tom with amber eyes

**Goldenpaw** – pale ginger she-cat with white paws and white splash on her chest

**Toadpaw** – light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Queens:

**Heathershine** – pale brown she-cat with lighter amber eyes. Mother of Dunekit, Mangokit and Otterkit by Sandrush.

**Pondripple** – silver tabby she-cat with green eyes. Mother of Hailkit and Smokekit by Rushcloud.

**Cinderbreeze** – black and white she-cat with amber eyes. Expecting Tanglethorn's kits.

Elders:

**Blueflower** – once beautiful gray-blue she-cat with amber eyes

**Nightwater** – black tom with amber eyes

Kits:

**Dunekit** – sandy brown tom with amber eyes

**Mangokit** – ginger she-cat with green eyes

**Otterkit** – dusky brown she-cat with sleek fur and webbed-like paws

**Hailkit** – pale gray, almost white she-cat with piercing blue eyes like ice

**Smokekit** – darker gray she-cat with blue eyes

_Cats Outside Clans_

**Ruby** – dark ginger she-cat with green eyes who lives at the horseplace

**Shadow** – smoky black tom with green eyes who lives at the horseplace

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

Barely a claw-mark of a moon hovered in the night's sky. Early leafbare winds pierced the forest down below. A fresh blanket of snow had fallen the night before, making it feel even colder than it had before. Despite the cold air and the fact that it was leafbare, creatures were scuffling about in the middle of the night.

A cat poked it's head out of the bush he was hiding in. His pelt was quivering with anticipation as he waited there for the next few heartbeats. After the day's events he had called for every leader to meet despite it not being a full moon. This was not a Gathering, but they would be meeting in peace. Hopefully. Only a few selected warriors were standing behind him just in case.

"Oatstar!" The pale brown tabby tom's ears pricked forward at the sound of his name. It didn't take long for the first cat to arrive; a beautiful light golden she-cat with bright green eyes. Standing behind her was a small group of warriors that looked as agitated as she felt. "I trust you have a good reason for holding a meeting, right after two of our queens had kits?" She kept her voice icy calm, but there was a hint of worry within it.

"That's exactly why I've called for this meeting," he rasped. "Two of my queens have given birth as well. But one has died giving birth to her kit."

The bitterness in his voice reminded them all of that tragedy. The WindClan cats bowed their heads, remembering how Cherryfoot had willingly accepted nursing the kits. But the mother was still dead, and that didn't make things any easier.

"I am sorry to hear that," the light golden she-cat murmured sympathetically. Leafbare had been hard on all of the Clans. To have two queens give birth at once was unheard of, and now they had extra mouths to feed.

"And here I was hoping the rumors weren't true." Both cats stiffened as a younger light brown tabby tom with amber eyes approached them. His tail whipped from side to side as he looked at the two cats coldly. "Hollystar." He nodded towards the light golden she-cat, whose ears flattened with annoyance.

"Wolf_heart_," she nearly spat the name. His pelt prickled with fury; he was only the deputy of ShadowClan after all. But Hollystar had made it sound like an insult more than anything else. "I thought Scorchstar would be joining us," she added after giving her chest fur a few quick licks.

"Unfortunately Scorchstar could not make it tonight," Wolfheart explained, ignoring the look she was giving him. The hostility between ThunderClan and ShadowClan was obvious. The two Clans had been fighting over territory for the past few moons now, resulting in bloody battles and border skirmishes. "He has been complaining about his bones not reacting well to the cold."

The two other leaders shifted uncomfortably at this news. Scorchstar was the oldest leader amongst the four Clans. Everyone knew how desperate Wolfheart was to become the next leader. It was only a matter of time before the announcement was made that Scorchstar had lost his final life. After that there was no telling what would become of ShadowClan.

All three cats stood there in awkward silence as their warriors whispered to one another. Wolfheart had come here alone. He stood apart from the two leaders, his whiskers twitching every now and than with envy. Soon the fourth leader had arrived, Streamstar of RiverClan. She had the longest journey of them all, and it looked like she had arrived on her own as well.

"I believe we should start this immediately, so that we can get back to our lives," Streamstar meowed in a formal tone. The other three cats nodded in understanding; her patience was wearing thin after everything the journey she had made.

"I will speak first," Oatstar announced. None of the cats argued; he was the youngest leader around the lake next to Streamstar. But Hollystar was in no mood to argue, and it wasn't in Wolfheart's place to argue either. "Has anyone other queen given birth this morning?" Normally his question would have made everyone feel uneasy, but Streamstar's ears pricked forward almost instantly. Wolfheart's eyes lit up with interest as Oatstar continued, "Two of my queens gave birth almost at once early in the morning. But one did not survive the kitting. Two of her kits were stillborn, and one survived, barely."

"No such thing has happened in ShadowClan," Wolfheart spat. "Why would such a thing happen so suddenly, and in the middle of leafbare of all times?"

No one had an answer to his question. Wolfheart's lips curled in satisfaction. He may be viewed as the youngest cat here, but he did have a valid point.

"Two of my queens gave birth this morning as well," Streamstar murmured. "Heathershine's kits weren't even due for another moon. It took us all by surprise when she started kitting almost right after Pondripple kitted."

"It's an omen." All four cats looked at the WindClan cat who spoke up. "Think about it: No queen has ever given birth at the same time, let alone the same day. It's unheard of. It's a message from StarClan."

"If that is the case than why did we not receive any warning?" Hollystar demanded.

"Perhaps StarClan is waiting for you to make the decision yourself," meowed a gray she-cat flecked with silver along her muzzle.

The four cats representing their Clans looked at one another warily. If this was true than they would have to decide the fate of these kits. They had already caused trouble and this was only their first day in the Clans.

"I say we kill them now," Wolfheart hissed.

"You don't have a say in this decision, _deputy_!" snapped Hollystar.

Wolfheart's eyes glowed with fury as he was ready to make a retort, than thought better of it. Soon enough he would have a say in what happened to these kits. He was sure of it. Scorchstar would be dead in the next few days anyways. Why couldn't they just let him make the leader's decision now and be done with it?

"We should give them until the time they are apprentices," Streamstar suggested. "If they truly are an omen, that is when we will see it. Until than, let them live. They deserve that much."

The other three cats looked at Streamstar warily. Hollystar was thoughtful about what fate would fall upon these kits. Oatstar just looked annoyed that Streamstar had made the suggestion. Wolfheart's lips were curled in annoyance when he realized that Streamstar had a good point. At last Hollystar, the eldest of the three standing there, raised her chin.

"I believe that Streamstar is right," she announced. "We should at least give these kits a chance. If they do not prove to be a threat, than we will let them live. But we must not tell them about this meeting, or that will influence their lives."

Annoyance flared within Wolfheart, but he made no move to challenge Hollystar. He knew that she was right. The Clans would hate him if he killed innocent kits. But sooner or later these kits would die, he was sure of it. Even if he had to kill them himself, that day would arrive.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Originally this wasn't going to be posted, but I couldn't resist. I know I'm already working on Sharpest Thorn and Darkness Within, so updates on this will vary depending on how many reviews I get. Also, I know that there are so many plots similar to this one, but things will take a different turn here. Hopefully.<strong>


	2. Chapter One

**"And I find myself here on my knees again, Caught up in grace like an avalanche Nothing compares to this love love love, Burning in my heart..." **Like an Avalanche, Hillsong United

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER ONE<strong>

Warm newleaf air swept over the hollow as a breeze picked up. A leaf was picked up in the wind from last leaffall; the yellow and brown leaf landed down near a hazel thicket.

It was obvious that newleaf had arrived early, much to everyone's relief. After suffering from such a devastating leafbare, it truly was a relief to feel the warmer air. Signs of fresh life could already be seen on the trees above.

Blazekit peered outside the nursery as he stared at the leaf. He'd heard so many stories about how beautiful the trees got during leaffall.

"Hey Blazekit, what are you doing?" He turned to see Mossykit watching him curiously. He was always close to his sister. Oakkit on the other paw was a different story. His brother was a bit more violent for his liking, and often looked upon him like he was some kind of freak.

"Look at this leaf," he murmured. Mossykit's ears pricked forward as she took a cautious step towards him. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw what he was staring at. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah but…. It's just a leaf," she purred in amusement. "Come on, Whiteflower said we can explore the camp today." She nudged him playfully before bounding outside.

Blazekit looked at her in excitement; he'd only seen the camp once or twice so far. He was eager to become an apprentice so that he could do more than just explore the camp. Especially since becoming an apprentice meant that he would leave the nursery. But it also marked an important day for him and his siblings.

_On the day they become apprentices, their survival will be decided by the leader_. Hollystar's words still rang loud and clear in Blazekit's mind. He still didn't understand why such a fate was needed just for kits.

"Hey you two." Blazekit looked at Olivelight in surprise when she greeted them with a wave of her tail. "Make sure you stay away from Grayleaf's den. She isn't in the best of moods."

He nodded in understanding. Grayleaf was Olivelight's sister. And she was also Jayfeather's former apprentice, which meant she had all of his attitude. He could still remember that one day when she nearly bit their heads off for exploring her den.

"Thanks for the warning," he replied.

Olivelight flicked her tail across his ears before joining a patrol. Nutwhisker and Leafstorm were waiting patiently for her until she approached them. In heartbeats they left the camp to patrol the borders.

The two of them were left to explore the rest of the camp until Oakkit or Fernshadow's kits woke up. Since it was still so early in the morning, they would still be asleep. Blazekit was in no hurry to grow up. He enjoyed his life as a kit.

_I'll miss spending time with Mossykit_, he realized.

"Come on, there's a magpie in the fresh-kill pile!" Before Blazekit could react, Mossykit dove into the fresh-kill pile. Or what was left of it. The hunting patrol had yet to return; he had seen them leave earlier.

Blazekit flinched when Mossykit threw a small magpie at him.

"You know I prefer mouse," he told her.

"Maybe I wasn't going to eat this," Mossykit meowed with a sheepish grin.

Suddenly his ears pricked forward with interest. He knew exactly what his sister had in mind.

"Where should we hide it?" he asked as they headed back to the nursery.

"I was thinking right by the nursery," Mossykit explained. Her tail flicked over to the right side of the nursery, where Oakkit always sat to wash his fur. "You can distract him while I place move it around, to make it look alive."

He nodded in agreement before heading for the nursery. Sure enough Oakkit was already awake. His brother was busy whispering something to Whiteflower, who only seemed to half listen. Blazekit forced back a purr of amusement as he watched them. This was going to be fun.

"Hey Oakkit, you doing anything later today?" he asked, trying to look curious.

"No, why should I?" He looked at Blazekit in annoyance.

"Just wondering," Blazekit replied with a shrug. He eyed Mossykit warily as his sister started placing the magpie above the nursery towards the right. It was Oakkit's favorite spot to lay down and relax under. Blazekit forced back a sheepish grin before looking at his brother. "So do you still think we're freaks?" he asked under his breath.

Oakkit's eyes narrowed with mistrust. Blazekit only flicked his tail and stared at his brother innocently. He backed away as soon as Mossykit disappeared, giving him the signal he needed. Once the deed was done and Oakkit reached his favorite spot, everything happened almost too quickly.

"What in StarClan's name?" He nearly yowled at the top of his lungs when the magpie started moving. Blazekit couldn't help but let out a _mrrow_ of laughter at his brother's reaction. "What sort of mousebrained trick is this?" Oakkit suddenly swatted the magpie with his claws, knocking it to the ground.

"Just a little peace offering," Mossykit purred after joining them. Her eyes were bright with laughter as she watched Oakkit's face drop to a scowl. "Come on Oakkit, it was just a harmless prank. We could be doing something worse, like putting fire ants in your nest." She nudged him playfully.

"You already did that," Oakkit muttered. He was still glaring at Blazekit, who simply shrugged once again. He was used to getting the full blame; Oakkit almost never blamed Mossykit for the pranks that she usually came up with. "Besides, you're not supposed to play with your fresh-kill."

Blazekit rolled his eyes in annoyance. It was true that prey was supposed to be eaten, not played with. But they were allowed to have some fun once in a while. Blazekit couldn't understand how he and Oakkit were related. They were nothing alike. The only similarities they shared were pelt colors, if even that.

"Oakkit is right." Blazekit and Mossykit whirled around to see Tornclaw looking down at them with disappointment in his eyes. "You've just broken the warrior code by playing with your fresh-kill. The hunting patrols had to work hard in order to catch that magpie."

He nodded pointedly at the magpie that was now covered in dust and blood. Now it was inedible. Blazekit's ears flattened in shame when he realized that their father was right. He glanced over at Mossykit when a thought suddenly occurred to him.

"Can we try hunting to replace it?" he asked, hope flaring in his chest. Tornclaw looked at him in amusement before flicking his tail across Blazekit's ears.

"You are clever, but I'm afraid that won't be possible until you're an apprentice," he meowed. "Why don't you take something to the elder's den instead, I'm sure they would appreciate something from the fresh-kill pile."

Almost at once Blazekit's ears pricked forward. He would ensure that the elders got fed and taken care of. And when he was an apprentice he could catch a magpie of his own. Maybe than he could replace the one that he and Mossykit had ruined.

...

Poppykit watched from the entrance of the nursery as the three kits argued. Her denmates were always noisy and arguing. But she and her sister got along perfectly fine. At least that was what she liked to believe. There were times when she and Wrenkit would fight, but that was usually over something like who was bigger or stronger.

A few more heartbeats of this went on before Tornclaw intervened. As the father of those kits he was always busy watching them. And it seemed like today was no different. Finally Blazekit stopped ignoring his brother and trotted over to the fresh-kill pile, while Mossykit helped Tornclaw carry the battered magpie away from the nursery.

Once the three were done arguing, Poppykit got bored again. She turned to see that her sister was still fast asleep. Wrenkit's tail was wrapped over her nose as she curled up beside their mother. Fernshadow was a heavy sleeper and could probably sleep through a thunderstorm, but not the two of them.

"Come on Wrenkit, everyone else is awake!" she mewed, prodding her sister with a paw. "Come on!" She prodded harder this time, and Wrenkit opened one eye before groaning in annoyance. "Do I need to drag you out of here?" Poppykit suddenly teased.

Eventually Wrenkit realized that her sister was serious. The dappled brown and white kit stretched out her paws and yawned before getting up. Wrenkit was twice Poppykit's size, towering over her like a shadow. Poppykit wished that she had Wrenkit's strength. All she could do was look up to cats rather than speaking down to them.

"I can't believe it's already almost sunhigh," Wrenkit muttered. Wrenkit's eyes widened in alarm when she realized how late it was. The sun had already risen high above the hollow. Warmth spread through Poppykit as she soaked it in.

The camp was buzzing with activity. Mudpaw was busy boasting about his training with Quickbreeze. The dark brown and white tom was so proud about having the deputy as his mentor, even though Quickbreeze had only been deputy for a couple of moons. A hunting patrol was just returning, restocking a very low fresh-kill pile. Fallenpaw and Plumpaw were busy playfighting by the apprentice's den, ignoring Mudpaw's chatter.

"Let's go see what the other kits are doing," Poppykit suggested. Before Wrenkit could argue, she was already rushing off to the elder's den. Lilyheart always told the best stories, and was the oldest cat in the Clan. She could still remember when Firestar was leader of ThunderClan, and after him Bramblestar.

Hollystar had become leader shortly after she was named deputy. Lionblaze had died a mysterious death; no one knew the truth behind it. But he had been deputy when Squirrelflight retired to the elder's den. Hollystar was Lionblaze's daughter, and Sorrelfern her sister. Ironically enough Fernshadow was her sister as well, which made Firestar Poppykit's great grandfather, or something like that.

She shook her head at the thought. It didn't matter. Firestar was just a legend now told to keep kits well behaved. Many queens wanted their kits to stop pestering them and would tell them to act more like the former leader. Poppykit often wondered why it mattered.

_We're just kits_, _it's not like we don't get into trouble all the time_, she reminded herself. _Plus we'll be apprentices soon enough_, _and than the leaders get to choose whether or not we live_._ And I doubt that Hollystar will let us die_. Especially given the fact that Fernshadow was Hollystar's sister.

"Hello kits, are you here to join us?" Lilyheart's gaze swept over to Poppykit and Wrenkit. Blazekit and Mossykit were already seated nearby, eyes wide with interest. For a moment Poppykit wondered where Oakkit was, but than she thought better of it. "I was just about to tell the story about the Dark Forest battle."

Poppykit's eyes widened with interest. She remembered hearing the story only once. The story had left her feeling horrified. But she was older now and could understand just how strong the Clans had been that time. They banded together in order to defeat the Dark Forest.

"Many brave cats died in the battle, but their memories will always be honored," Lilyheart explained. "I can still remember what happened to my mother when she passed away. She refused to tell anyone about her wounds, and they became infected." Her eyes suddenly grew distant as she remembered something horrible.

"Sorreltail was a good warrior," Snowstorm murmured thoughtfully. "She would always bring us extra fresh-kill when Brightheart wasn't looking."

Poppykit forced back a purr of amusement. She could picture the two cats almost perfectly; Lilyheart would often describe what they looked like. Sorreltail and Brightheart had been good friends. And they were well taken care of by the other queens until the battle. Ferncloud, the cat Fernshadow was named after, and Daisy. Those two names were well known in the nursery.

"Jayfeather used to keep a branch in the camp too," Dewstep put in. "He marked it with all of the cats that perished in the battle. It might still be here somewhere, but we never really had a need for it when he passed away."

She remembered hearing about that branch. Hollystar had asked for it to be taken away because it was too distracting. But Poppykit knew there was more to it than that. Hollystar's eyes had grown dark when she gave that order. Something about it had bothered her.

"Thanks for sharing with us!" Blazekit suddenly mewed. He was already on his paws, tail flicking from side to side with excitement. Poppykit didn't miss the look on his face; Blazekit was up to something again. After the magpie incident one would think he would learn.

Poppykit thanked them as well before backing away. She wondered what would happen when she became an apprentice, or _if_ she even became an apprentice. The thought had only just occurred her, and she looked at Wrenkit warily. She wanted to protect her sister now more than ever.

Than she noticed something odd happening. Above Wrenkit was a strange purple light glowing and swirling around. Poppykit stared at the light in surprise. Wrenkit looked at her warily and the light suddenly changed from purple to yellow.

_What in StarClan's_…. Poppykit had to stop herself from yelping in surprise as the light changed colors once again. She blinked once to make sure that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. It didn't take long for her to realize that what she was seeing was Wrenkit's emotions. _How is that even possible_?

"What's wrong with you?" Wrenkit suddenly demanded, cutting Poppykit from her thoughts. She blinked again and the lights disappeared. Poppykit's shoulders sagged in relief; at least it didn't seem to last long, whatever it was.

"Nothing," she replied, hoping that she was right. Something in her heart told her that she was lying. This kind of thing didn't happen to normal kits, right? So why did it happen to her?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So I know that it's early in the morning right now, but I couldn't resist updating. I'm up to almost two or three chapters in this already, so updates might come faster than I thought. And yes, you did just get a glimpse of what will happen in the future. Some major foreshadowing here.<strong>

**QOTD: What do you think of Blazekit and Poppykit so far? There will be two points of view from each Clan by the way :)**

**Skyfrost14 - Thank you, I plan on updating at least once or twice a week depending on how many reviews I get ;)**

**boscyboo - Thank you, I always appreciate the support! :)**

**bellabina - Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! And I think you meant Wolfheart, seeing as he isn't leader _yet_. But yeah, I would consider anyone who kills innocent kits evil. Thanks again!**

**Lunarsparks - Thank you! I'm really excited to get it started, especially since the whole plot was just written out last night XD**

**Snowspider of ColdClan - Thank you, he is a bit of a jerk unfortunately. And when I was typing Quickbreeze all I could think about was Quicksilver from Days of the Future Past. He is awesome in that movie ^^**

**sunburstkitty - Ah, thank you... And I have a feeling that Wolfheart's going to have quite a few enemies now. Was this update quick enough? ;)**


	3. Chapter Two

**CHAPTER TWO**

Nightkit stared out across the camp, his eyes searching for signs of life. Like his namesake it was late at night, almost moonhigh. His father had left for a border patrol a while ago, and he wanted to make sure that Streakfur got back safely.

For days now he had been having horrible nightmares when he tried sleeping. It seemed like no matter how hard he tried sleeping, the nightmares would come back to haunt him. Each one would result in the death of a Clanmate or kin. He had a feeling that the nightmares were linked with the recent battle between ShadowClan and RiverClan.

The two Clans were constantly at war. And recently a RiverClan apprentice was caught trespassing the border. The apprentice had been killed to show that there would be no mercy to trespassers. And of course RiverClan would retaliate by declaring war. It was all their fault, why couldn't they just get over it and move on?

"Gotcha!" Nightkit nearly leaped out of his fur when he felt claws digging into his tail. He whipped around to see Fadekit turning visible once more. Her eyes gleamed with pride as she straightened up and looked at him. "You should be able to hear me approaching," she meowed with a roll of her eyes.

"Yeah well, I wasn't listening," he muttered crossly. He looked on across the clearing, trying to ignore his sister. Fadekit always seemed to have a way of annoying him more than anything else. She had an unusual ability that made cats look at her scornfully. "Why don't you go and annoy someone else?" he asked.

Thankfully Fadekit seemed to listen. She melted away into the darkness, leaving him alone for now. Nightkit wanted to be left alone, and he got his wish. He didn't want to admit that he was actually afraid to sleep. What if he had another nightmare? What if someone was actually killed?

"Anything to report?" Nightkit's ears pricked forward when he recognized Wolfheart's voice. Every cat knew that Wolfheart was the one who convinced Scorchstar to kill the RiverClan apprentice. His ambition scared many warriors and had gained the Clan's respect.

"We caught fresh scent markers at the border, but nothing more," Streakfur meowed. "It seems as though they're backing down for now, but I would keep an eye on them just in case." Nightkit's chest flared with hope as he looked at his father. Streakfur looked tired, but that was nothing to worry about.

"Good, we have enough problems to worry about," Wolfheart muttered. Nightkit didn't miss the look Wolfheart had given him. Wariness suddenly washed over the young kit as he ducked his head. The deputy had never liked him or Fadekit, though he never made it clear as to why.

Nightkit just wished that he understood what was wrong with them. True he and Fadekit were born a moon earlier than expected. But that doesn't mean anything was wrong with them! His claws dug into the ground as Streakfur shook his head and approached him. The rest of the patrol split up towards the warrior's den to get some rest. With ShadowClan being active during the night, it was rare to see cats sleeping at night.

"Hi dad," Nightkit brushed muzzles against his father's, thankful to see that he had returned. Streakfur didn't seem as pleased though. Nightkit knew that there was more to that patrol than Streakfur was letting on. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course," Streakfur replied a little too quickly. "We are at war with two Clans and running low on prey. Of course everything would be fine." He added the last part with a shrug, looking around warily.

_Wolfheart is behind the war against ThunderClan_, Nightkit thought bitterly. It was bad enough having ThunderClan as an enemy. Now they had RiverClan to worry about as well. Nightkit only hoped that in time, the Clan would learn to get along with everyone else.

"We'll be fine," Nightkit tried to reassure his father. Doubt pricked at his fur though. He wished that there was a way to prove that getting along was better than causing war.

"We will be. You should stop worrying so much," a new voice broke in. Nightkit whirled around to see Featherstorm looking at both him and Streakfur.

"As long as we are at war I have every right to worry," Streakfur meowed. He brushed muzzles against Featherstorm, a look of calm flashing in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I know I'm worrying too much. But I want to ensure that my family is safe."

Nightkit only watched as his father returned to the warrior's den. All he wanted to do was follow in his father's pawsteps. Streakfur was a brave, wise warrior that ShadowClan should be proud of. His mother suddenly brushed her tail across Nightkit's ears, causing him to jump in surprise.

"Why don't you get some rest," she murmured. "Fadekit is already in her nest." She looked over her shoulder as if to make a point. Nightkit's ears flattened warily. He didn't want to sleep again. Not if he had nightmares once more.

His ears flattening, he decided not to argue. Much as he hated to admit it, Featherstorm was right. He did need sleep, now more than ever. As he reached his nest in the nursery Nightkit saw that his mother had been right. Fadekit was fast asleep, her tail wrapped over her nose for extra warmth. Nightkit stifled a purr of amusement before curling up next to her. He was thankful to have some comfort now.

...

"No one will ever find me." Fadekit's mew was to herself. But it was full of pride as she padded through the forest with the utmost care. Her fur blended in so well with her surroundings that it made her invisible. Only Nightkit seemed to sense where she was hidden, and he was fast asleep now. His whimpering had woken her up heartbeats ago. So she decided to take the initiative and explore the forest once again.

Fadekit had always explored the forest since she discovered her ability. Now she knew every part of it by heart. When she became an apprentice that would give her a major advantage. She looked forward to the day when she would shock her future mentor.

_If we even get to be apprentices_, she thought resentfully. Knowing Wolfheart he would make sure that they were dead before Scorchstar could make them apprentices. Featherstorm would fight for them of course. But she would be putting her life on the line, and Fadekit wasn't sure she wanted that for her mother.

She shook her head at the thought and hared across the clearing. Pine trees towered above her, the needles they produced made for soft pawsteps that were almost silent. Fadekit relished the scents that filled her lungs. She could spend the whole night out here. The forest was full of hidden life that no one was aware of.

"So far so good, no sign of ShadowClan on our border." Fadekit stopped in her tracks when she heard the voices. Her ears pricked forward in alarm when she picked up RiverClan's familiar stench. That fishy scent was hard to miss, even when the wind wasn't blowing in her direction.

"Good, the last thing I want is another border skirmish. We've already lost too much." She recognized the voice of Tanglethorn. The golden brown tabby had a bad reputation of starting fights. But even he seemed nervous after all the battles that had occurred a few days ago.

Fadekit decided to take the chance and escape before they picked up her scent. That was the only downside to her power; cats could still pick up her scent, which made it easier to find her. Only somewhat to those with not so keen senses. Fortunately there weren't too many cats in ShadowClan that could detect her whereabouts.

She was proud of herself for not giving away her location. And the fact that she had already explored most of the territory before she was even apprentice, that made her feel even happier. Fadekit's fur fluffed up as a cool breeze suddenly picked up. She didn't want to stay out too long; mother always seemed to know when she was gone.

By the time Fadekit finally reached the camp it was almost dawn. Most ShadowClan cats fell asleep during the morning. Fadekit was always so eager to explore the territory that she rarely had time for sleep.

"What are you doing awake already?" Fadekit nearly leaped out of her fur when she heard Nightkit's mew. Her eyes widened in surprise when she spotted her brother staring at her in annoyance. Nightkit was standing just outside the nursery, his eyes dark with worry.

"I was just exploring," she replied nonchalantly. "And what are _you_ doing up so early? Weren't you up past moonhigh?" Fadekit trotted past her brother and grabbed a shrew from the fresh-kill pile. Prey with fur was her favorite; she hated anything that was slimy or scaly.

"Fadekit, would you believe me if I said something bad is about to happen?" Nightkit suddenly got quiet, his voice dropping to barely a whisper now. Fadekit looked at her brother seriously as he followed her to the nursery. Carefully she dropped her shrew and gazed at it thoughtfully before answering.

"Depends on what you would say is about to happen," she said with a shrug. "Is that why you can't sleep? I've been watching you, and for some reason you keep waking up in the middle of the night, looking terrified." She blinked and took a bite of her shrew, savoring the warm taste in her mouth.

Nightkit's ears flattened immediately. She knew that he was having horrible nightmares. Nightkit didn't seem to know that she was always watching him. Maybe that was a good thing. She didn't want him to feel more embarrassed than he already was.

"It's just that…. I keep having these visions of something terrible happening," he murmured. "The night before I dreamed that Streakfur was about to be killed by a RiverClan cat. And last night I dreamed that Scorchstar was murdered by someone from our Clan."

He made sure that only Fadekit would hear. Any other cat would think that he was losing his mind. But Fadekit understood what he was going through. She had felt the same way when she first discovered her power. Nightkit was scared, and understandably so. She suddenly pressed herself against him comfortingly.

"They're just dreams Nightkit," she mewed. "But maybe it's StarClan's way of warning you too." She took another bite of her shrew and thought back to how Bumblewind had become ShadowClan's medicine cat. The dusky brown tom had claimed to see terrible visions as well, and Littlecloud had trained him as his apprentice.

"Do you really think I should be a medicine cat?" Nightkit's nose wrinkled at the thought. But even he could see the sense in her words. "Maybe I'll go and talk to Bumblewind about it," he finally sighed in defeat.

Fadekit flicked her tail across her brother's shoulder, thankful to see that his mind was made up. "I'm sure Bumblewind can figure out what's happening," she purred. If anyone could figure it out, it was the medicine cat.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So there's chapter two. Not much happening here, but you already get to see Fadekit's power. And you sort of got a glimpse into Nightkit's power as well :)<strong>

**QOTD: What do you think of Nightkit and Fadekit?**

**Lunasparks - I probably should've mentioned that this takes place a few moons after Bramblestar's Storm ;) And I'm glad you like them so far, but you might change your mind in future chapters :P**

**Silverbird22 - XD Hopefully not, though you're more than welcome to murder Wolfheart. That mousebrain deserves it ;)**

**sunburstkitty - XD I would too! And just for kicks I'd make sure that he knew who was putting them in his nest too out of spite :P Oakkit kind of did that to himself though; he's sort of an outcast because Blazekit and Wrenkit are so close :(**


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

"Come _on_ Breezekit, you're taking too long!" Breezekit rolled his eyes when he heard Hazelkit's moan of annoyance. She was always in such a hurry to get started with the day. He on the other paw preferred taking his time. It was moments like this that made him appreciate being a kit.

Soon he would be an apprentice, and than he wouldn't be with mother for so long. Cherryfoot was the best mother any kit could ask for. She had even taken in Hazelkit when her mother died giving birth to her. Many cats had said that she should die for killing her mother, but Cherryfoot had spat at them, saying she was just a kit. No kit deserved to be killed, according to her.

"Alright, alright. Keep your fur on," he muttered when Hazelkit started prodding him with a paw. Breezekit scampered out of his nest and bounded after her when she started running. Since WindClan camp was so big it gave them plenty of space to run around in. "Why are you always in such a hurry?" he demanded after finally catching up to her.

He was out of breath when she seemed like she could just keep going. Hazelkit's eyes glowed with amusement when she looked at him.

"Because unlike you I'm up before the sun rises, and that gives me plenty of time to get my day started," she explained with a sheepish look. Breezekit was about to say something when Hazelkit suddenly went tumbling forward with a squeal of surprise. His eyes widened in alarm until he saw who had hurt her.

Harefoot was looking down at the pair with narrowed eyes. Faster than Breezekit thought was possible, Hazelkit disappeared before Harefoot could reach her. Seconds later and she appeared at Breezekit's side, causing the young tom to jump in shock.

"Leave her alone!" Breezekit spat. Harefoot, Hazelkit's own father, had never liked her since she was born. In fact he had made several attempts at killing her while Cherryfoot was fast asleep. Fortunately Breezekit was always looking out for her. She was like a sister to him, and his best friend. He would never let anyone hurt her if he could stop them.

"WindClan shouldn't be letting that little worm live," the gray tabby sneered. Hazelkit flinched beside her denmate. Breezekit let his claws unsheathe as anger burned within him at the insult. "You killed my mate and your mother, you heartless fox!"

The warrior turned and fled before Breezekit could call out an alarm. He looked back at Hazelkit and noticed the pain that flashed in her eyes. "Hey, don't let him get to you," he murmured softly. Hazelkit didn't seem to hear him and turned away. "Hazelkit—" She suddenly cut him off with a glare.

"He's right!" she snapped. "All I've ever done is hurt others, and I don't know why!" Before Breezekit knew what was happening she broke into a run. His heart nearly skipped a beat when he realized that she was trying to run away again.

It was difficult keeping up with her. Hazelkit was faster than him by a long-shot. Oatstar had never cared where the kits wandered so long as they stayed in the territory. And of course no one in the Clan bothered stopping to ask where they were headed, though Breezekit had a vague idea where Hazelkit was going.

Hazelkit was already fox-lengths ahead, and Breezekit found himself running out of breath again. How in StarClan's name was she able to do this? He desperately wished that he could share the same speed she had. Her legs were longer which gave her a major advantage.

It took him a long while to finally catch up to her. By now Hazelkit had reached the edge of the lake. Breezekit was gasping for breath when he caught up with her. She looked over her shoulder but didn't say anything when he sat down next to her.

Breezekit looked at her in alarm when he saw blood seeping from a cut on her leg. He didn't need to think twice to know how that cut had gotten there. Hazelkit remained silent as she let her leg rest in the water to clean it off.

"Hazelkit, you have to stop this," he whispered. He could still remember waking up to the scent of blood in the nursery. When he was even younger it had taken him a few moments to realize it was her blood he scented. This wasn't the first time Hazelkit had tried hurting herself. "Hurting yourself isn't going to get you anywhere," he added warily.

"All I ever do is hurt others," she suddenly wailed. Breezekit stared at her in shock and took a step back. "Because of me mother is dead, and father hates me!" All Breezekit could do was stare at her while she bowed her head in shame.

"You know that isn't true," he murmured reassuringly. Hazelkit looked at him in surprise when he flicked his tail across her shoulder. "You're the best friend I could ever have, and mother will always care for you. Don't listen to what Harefoot or the others say."

Cherryfoot had said the same thing not too long ago to her. At the time Breezekit knew that she had not been listening. But now Hazelkit's eyes widened in shock, as if she was surprised anyone would want to care for someone like her.

Eventually Hazelkit allowed him to lead her away from the lake and back to camp. To Breezekit's surprise her wound was already starting to heal. If the cut had been any deeper he knew it wouldn't have healed so quickly. As they headed back to camp Breezekit thought of what he had heard between Ivywing and Oatstar.

_We might not become apprentices_, he reminded himself. _Oatstar might end up killing us in the end_. And yet he couldn't help but notice how Oatstar had been desperate to gain more power. Ever since WindClan had nearly been destroyed by ShadowClan, it seemed like every leader was desperate to prove themselves. But Breezekit knew that no matter what he would protect Hazelkit. Even if it cost him his life.

...

"What in StarClan's name were you _thinking_?" Cherryfoot was eying the kits warily as she made sure they were okay. Her eyes widened when she saw the fresh cut on Hazelkit's leg. Hazelkit's ears flattened in embarrassment when she realized that Cherryfoot was staring at her. "You should have let me know what you were doing," she added in an accusing tone.

"Sorry mother, it was my fault." Hazelkit stared at Breezekit in surprise when he said that. Everything that happened today was her fault. She should have known better than to wander out of camp aimlessly. Then again it had been Harefoot who started the whole ordeal.

The Clan didn't care one way or another where they went. Only Cherryfoot seemed more concerned about them. The water's edge had seemed so tempting when Hazelkit reached the lake. For a moment she even thought of just jumping in. Maybe meeting StarClan early on wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Then Breezekit had to come in and ruin everything. She knew that he cared for her. She loved him like a brother. But there were times when she wished he would just let her go. No one in the Clan wanted her around. She had even heard a few cats whispering about whether or not she could be trusted.

"I'm just glad that you're safe," Cherryfoot murmured. She brushed her nose carefully across Hazelkit's fur to make sure there weren't any other injuries. It wasn't like Eagletalon would waste his herbs on her. He had never liked Hazelkit, and she doubted he ever would.

"Safe from what? The Clan will never be safe with those two around." Hazelkit stiffened when she heard her father's voice. She ducked behind Cherryfoot as the dark ginger queen rounded on him. "I don't understand why you bother caring for them so much. All they will do is make you suffer in the end," he added in a low growl.

"Leave them alone and torture someone else," Cherryfoot spat. "And I'll have you know that they would make better warriors than you ever will."

Harefoot only stared at the queen in disbelief. His mouth gaped open a few times before he closed it and turned away. Hazelkit held back a sigh of relief once he was gone. The tension around the nursery seemed to fade in a heartbeat once he was gone.

_The Clan doesn't want me around_, she thought bitterly._ Maybe I really am better off on my own_. Hazelkit felt a shiver run down her back at the thought. Would her mother have wanted this kind of life for her? She had never even seen the face of her mother, but Cherryfoot had described Silverwing to her many times. _She had soft silvery gray fur that almost looked white_. _And bright green blue eyes that matched mine_.

Hazelkit closed her eyes and tried to picture her mother's image. But all she could see was an image of herself. With a sigh of frustration Hazelkit opened them again, only to find herself somewhere else. Her eyes widened in shock and she nearly leaped out of her fur when she realized where she was.

She was in the forest, on ThunderClan's side of the border. What surprised her the most was that this was all _real_. This wasn't just a dream; she could feel the wind ruffling her fur, and smell all the musky scents that filled her lungs.

"I thought I smelled something unusual." Hazelkit stiffened at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. She recognized the stench almost instantly. ThunderClan cats were as distinctive as RiverClan with their musky forest smell. "Right over here, by that bush." The sound of pawsteps told her that the cat was approaching her.

Thinking fast Hazelkit ducked under a pile of leaves, hoping that would hide her scent. Her pelt was a major giveaway though. Any cat could spot her from a distance of they looked hard enough. And sure enough the cat that had scented her earlier did find her.

"Well done Mudpaw, you're tracking skills are superb," another cat purred triumphantly. "It looks as though you've found a WindClan_ kit_." Hazelkit instinctively flinched at the warm breath as the stranger brushed the leaves away from her. "You _do_ realize that you are trespassing, right?" he growled to her.

"I-I-I…. I didn't know," she stammered. Fear threatened to overwhelm her. Even if there were only two cats here they were both large, and very capable of killing her if they wanted to. She was after all trespassing into their territory. They had every right to kill her.

"Let's bring her back to camp," a lithe black tom with amber eyes sighed in annoyance. "Hollystar can figure out what to do with her from there." Before Hazelkit could protest he picked her up by the scruff. She let out a squeal of alarm until the dark brown and white tom shut her up with a glare.

"We're not going to kill you, mousebrain," he muttered with a roll of his eyes. "Honestly, do all WindClan cats think we're monsters?"

"Probably," the black tom replied.

The pair continued chattering on like songbirds until they reached what looked like a large hollow. Hazelkit felt her heart beating wildly when she realized just how dangerous her situation was. If this Hollystar decided to kill her than this could be the end.

"Quickbreeze, what are you doing here with that kit?" A young looking silvery she-cat with green eyes eyed the black tom warily. Her eyes narrowed into slits when she glared at Hazelkit. "It stinks of WindClan," she added with a wrinkle of her nose.

"Would you be quiet already?" Quickbreeze spat through Hazelkit's fur. "Go and warn Hollystar, I don't think this kit was trespassing, but it's better not to take any chances." To Hazelkit's surprise he placed her down gently once they padded down the slope.

She tried taking everything in at once. The hollow was so strange compared to WindClan's camp. A barrier of thorns protected the camp's entrance, which was higher than she could reach. To her right was a den made of stone that soared above the hollow, with a flat slab of rock covering the den.

"Hey." A new voice spoke up, causing Hazelkit to jump. She was still terrified as ever. This whole thing seemed so unreal. One moment she was back in the nursery trying to picture what her mother looked like. And the next she found herself here in the middle of ThunderClan's camp. "It's okay, I don't think the Clan is going to hurt you."

It took Hazelkit a few heartbeats to realize that it was a kit speaking to her. She stared at the kit in disbelief, but instead of looking offended the kit looked amused. "Who are you?" she suddenly blurted out.

"I'm Poppykit," the small tabby replied. "That wound looks like it could get infected, would you mind if I looked at it?" Hazelkit looked at the small tabby doubtfully. Poppykit was eying her leg where she had hurt herself. Eventually though Hazelkit nodded, and Poppykit leaned down. The wound had almost fully healed, but Hazelkit could still feel the pain.

Hazelkit watched the smaller kit suspiciously until Poppykit suddenly straightened up. Heartbeats seemed to pass before anything happened. Then Hazelkit's eyes widened when she saw what was happening. Her leg was actually healing; not just the pain but the scar that would have remained seemed to fade away.

"How did you do that?" Hazelkit asked once it was over.

"I guess I could always do that," Poppykit mewed, sounding embarrassed. "I only just discovered it a couple of days ago," she added when Hazelkit stared at her warily.

_Maybe that's what happened with me_, Hazelkit suddenly thought._ One minute I was in WindClan's camp, and the next I'm here_. All she had to do was close her eyes and think of something. Maybe she could do that again when she had the chance.

"What is your name, kit?" Hazelkit looked up to see an older looking light golden she-cat with bright green eyes. She flinched when she noticed the high authority the she-cat seemed to hold over everyone here. This must be Hollystar, the leader Quickbreeze had been talking about earlier.

"H-Hazelkit," she stammered.

"Well then, Hazelkit, I believe that you did not mean to trespass across the border," Hollystar began. Yowls of protest were quick to follow, but she waved her tail for silence. "So you will not be punished. Quickbreeze, Coalheart, I want you to escort this kit back to her camp. I'm sure her Clan has already begun missing her."

_I highly doubt that_, Hazelkit thought bitterly. If anything she would be punished for leaving the camp for so long. And on top of it she would never get to be an apprentice at this rate. Maybe she really was better off just running away. If the Clan would let her in the end.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I am so sorry for the long wait. Again my Internet isn't working right, but before that I was working on Sharpest Thorn and the plot for Legacy of Fire... so yeah. My life's been kind of busy.<strong>

**QOTD: What do you think of Breezekit and Hazelkit? Personally I think they make a cute couple ;)**

**Silverbird22 - XD Wolfheart is not liking what you did to him. Though he does deserve anything you throw at him :P And yep. I haven't exactly finished Bramblestar's Storm yet... *shameful face* Hopefully I'll be finished with it soon. I haven't had much time to read.**

**Skyfrost14 - He just might, we'll have to wait and see.**

**boscyboo - Hehe, yeah the chapter was just a tad boring. Hopefully this chapter made up for that. Each character is going to have a different personality which might make the chapters that much more intriguing. And thanks, now I feel embarrassed XD**

**sunburstkitty - Wolfheart probably would eat the berry too just to spite them :P And thank you, I really appreciate it!**

**Lunasparks - That's the way I like writing them out. It's always fun having the readers guess as to what sort of powers they might have, if they have powers at all. And I like Nightkit too, he's definitely my favorite out of the two. Also, I'm not making any promises ;)**

**frostdawn - Sorry for the long wait D: I should be updating this more often...**


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

The soft rustle of grass brushed against Otterkit's whiskers. She let out a squeal of delight as she bounded through the reeds.

Heathershine had finally let her kits out of the nursery after keeping them confined for nearly three moons. Otterkit's eyes had opened long before her siblings. And of course she had been bored out of her mind before exploring the camp.

But now that she was out she couldn't resist running around. Cats were giving her strange looks as she exploded out of her hiding place. Dunekit had been busy grooming himself when she pounced. He let out a huff of frustration when she had him pinned underneath her webbed-like paws.

That was about the only feature of Otterkit that everyone found odd. Her pelt was sleek and smooth like a RiverClan cat's fur would be. But those webbed paws had always frightened some cats. She had never been bothered by them. In fact she often thought they made her unique.

"You're such a slow slug," she purred after letting her brother up. Dunekit shot her a glare before finishing his grooming. His fur was always sticking up unlike Mangokit's. So he spent extra time making sure that it was kept down and clean.

"Yeah well you shouldn't have pounced on me," he muttered crossly.

Otterkit's smirked was wiped away in a heartbeat when he suddenly reeled around and attacked. She quickly moved to the side and dodged a paw strike before sliding next to him. Her webbed paws looked like they would make her clumsy. But Otterkit had learned how to use them to her advantage.

With one quick turn she had already stayed one pawstep ahead of her larger brother. Dunekit's ears flattened in annoyance when he realized that she had the upper paw this time. He was ready to lung again when someone stepped between them.

"What are you two doing?" a new voice demanded. Otterkit felt her stomach drop when she realized it was Sandrush who spoke.

The ginger tom was her father, and one of the fiercest warriors in RiverClan. But around his kits he had a soft spot. Otterkit didn't miss the look of amusement flashing in his eyes. He wasn't angry with them, only concerned.

"Just playing," she replied sheepishly. Sandrush flicked his tail over her ears before Dunekit nearly toppled her over. Otterkit was ready to snap at her brother when Sandrush beat her to it.

"You'll be an apprentice soon enough," he meowed in a calm voice. "Why don't you try that move I taught you yesterday?"

Dunekit's eyes lit up with excitement before he tried practicing the move. Otterkit only rolled her eyes after noticing how her brother had been easily stopped. She wondered for a moment if all toms were like that. She decided to leave the two and explore the camp a bit more.

Everyone was busy working on camp duties. Otterkit knew that it was only a moon away before she and her siblings became apprentices. Soon they would be joining everyone else in taking care of the Clan. Streamstar had reassured them that no matter what they would become apprentices.

She could still remember discovering that she along with Pondripple's litter had been born around the same time. It was still a bit of shock knowing that the other Clans had threatened the lives of other kits. Heathershine had said it was because the Clans were afraid of what the kits would become when they were older.

Otterkit shook her head at the thought. She couldn't imagine her life without mother or father. Or having an entire Clan against her.

"Hey, do you think we'll be apprentices soon?" Mangokit's mew brought her back to reality. Otterkit followed her sister's voice and found her sitting next to mother, tail wrapped around her paws as she watched the clearing.

"In a few more days both you and Pondripple's kits will be apprentices," Heathershine purred. "Whoever mentors you will have their paws full."

She was looking pointedly at Otterkit, whose ears flattened in embarrassment. Otterkit knew she was only joking. And yet her words still stung.

_I'll show you_! Otterkit told herself. She was ready to lung forward when her paws slipped down the embankment. RiverClan's camp was surrounded by water; the only way to get through was to swim. That was why kits weren't allowed outside the camp.

But it seemed this time Otterkit had no choice. She hadn't realized until too late how close she was to the ledge. With a wail of surprise she ended up tumbling down the muddy bank and into the water down below. She braced herself for the pain that would follow.

Otterkit had heard far too many horror stories of kits and apprentices drowning because they had no experience in the water. Of course most of them weren't true; the elders only told them to scare the kits. Yet here she was feeling terrified of what would happen next.

"Otterkit!" Dunekit's loud yowl caught her attention. Otterkit looked around in shock when she found herself floating in the water. She hadn't sunk in like she was expecting. "Are you okay?" he demanded while peering over the ledge.

"I think so," she purred shakily. Before her brother could say anything else, she ducked underneath the water's surface. She wasn't sure what had caused her to do so. Her brother's yowls could be heard above, but down here it was more like a muffled shout.

She looked around wildly at the new sights and sounds that loomed ahead of her. Small silver fish were swimming past her, followed by a large brown one. The roots of trees could be made out in the murky darkness. In a few seconds her eyes had adjusted to the light, and she realized that she could actually _see_ everything.

Otterkit hadn't realized she was holding her breath until she let out a sigh of relief. This was amazing! She could actually breathe underwater! To top things off she was able to swim around like an otter, using her webbed-like paws to her advantage.

_Mother and father will be worried_, she suddenly thought. Without hesitation she swam towards the surface. To any other cat the water would have been disorienting. It was murky and full of things they weren't used to. But here she felt at home.

Finally she reached the surface, only to find herself a few tail-lengths away from RiverClan's island. Otterkit glanced over her shoulder when she saw the island where Gatherings were held. She could easily slip away from camp and sneak into a Gathering.

"Otterkit, thank StarClan you're alright!" She froze at the sound of Heathershine's meow. Heathershine was standing at the shoreline, pelt standing on end with terror. Otterkit resisted the urge to roll her eyes and swam over to her mother.

"What happened?" Sandrush demanded.

"I slipped and fell over the bank," Otterkit admitted, embarrassment washing over her once again. "But it's okay; I think I can swim in the water!" She let out a purr as she pictured how easy it was.

"Come on, we still need to take you to Sweetbriar just in case," Heathershine murmured. She gave her daughter a careful sniff before leading the way.

Otterkit couldn't stop thinking of how she was able to swim through the water. How was that even possible? And did she have this power for a reason? She supposed only time would tell...

...

Camp was buzzing with excitement when Hailkit peered outside the nursery. She had heard the story of how Otterkit survived falling into the water. Everyone thought that StarClan was with the kit at the time. But she knew otherwise.

_She has a power_, Hailkit thought. _Is her power like mine_? _Can she control it_? Hailkit was left wondering these thoughts as the Clan started to disperse. She often found it difficult to keep herself from freezing those close to her.

Just one touch of a paw could leave the victim frozen solid. Hailkit had learned that the hard way when she was playing with a mossball. She could still remember tossing it around until she touched it with her pad. That was when the mossball had become frozen solid. She was still terrified of what might happen when she hurt a Clanmate.

"Otterkit, that's so awesome!" Hailkit rolled her eyes at the sound of her sister's voice. Smokekit had a way of making cats always listen to her. Hailkit knew for a fact that her sister had no powers, but she did have a way of always annoying her.

"Heathershine's angry with me though," Otterkit admitted with a duck of her head. She sounded more worried than anything else. "She said if I do that again I won't become an apprentice." Hailkit couldn't help but sympathize with her.

_I'd be so angry if my ceremony was held off_, she thought with a lash of her tail. Fortunately Streamstar had reassured them all that they would become apprentices. Everyone else had considered the kits freaks because of the fact that they were born at the same time.

Hailkit never understood why cats were so afraid of them. There were other kits out there like her. And maybe the Clans were afraid these kits would overpower them one day. She had a feeling that was exactly the reason cats were afraid of them.

"Yeah, at least you have a power that could be useful," Smokekit meowed with a grin. Hailkit shot her a glare but said nothing as Otterkit's ears flattened. "Imagine being able to breathe under the water," she sighed almost longingly.

Hailkit would have laughed had she not drawn everyone's attention. Smokekit would never last five heartbeats with her powers. She had a hard enough time trying to control them. Smokekit on the other paw would have to learn how to control hers all over again.

"Does anyone else have powers?" Otterkit mewed. She looked between Hailkit and Smokekit uncertainly. It was possible that even her littermates could have powers as well. Only StarClan knew why the kits were born with such powers and who would have them.

"I don't know," Smokekit replied with a shrug. "Hailkit here can get awfully cold towards others." She grinned at Hailkit, whose eyes narrowed with annoyance.

Faster than her sister could react, Hailkit had lunged forward and pinned her to the ground. Smokekit let out a wail of surprise at the sudden attack. Otterkit in the meantime backed away when she realized what was happening. Hailkit could almost see the fear in the other kits' eyes.

"Why can't you just shut up already?" she hissed in a scathing tone. "I'm not the only one in this Clan who's made mistakes! And I'm not going to let you keep picking on me all the time!" To prove her point she made sure that Smokekit would remember this conversation.

"Hailkit, what are you doing?" Hailkit hissed in frustration at the sound of Pondripple's screech. Mother sounded furious, more than usual at the young kit. "Smokekit is your sister; you should _not_ be treating her like this," she scolded.

Hailkit's only response was a curl of her lips as she glared at Pondripple.

"When she stops teasing me, than I'll stop attacking her," she retorted. She didn't care how fishbrained she sounded in front of her mother. She just wanted to be treated equally like her sister. Right now it seemed like Smokekit was the one who always got all the attention.

"Smokekit, is that true?" Pondripple glanced at her other daughter, whose eyes widened in shock. Hailkit's fur bristled when she realized what Smokekit was doing. She did this all the time and ended up blaming Hailkit for all of the trouble she had caused.

"I-I don't know what she's saying," Smokekit stammered. "I was talking with Otterkit when she suddenly attacked me out of the blue." She gave their mother a pitiful look before smirking at Hailkit. Hailkit's eyes narrowed with outrage when she saw that Pondripple believed her sister.

"Hailkit, I think it's time you faced proper punishment this time," Pondripple growled. "Because of the way you behaved, I believe that cleaning out the elders' den would be good enough for you." Her eyes narrowed as Hailkit got ready to argue. "Or I could just hold off your apprentice ceremony."

_You heartless fox_! Hailkit wanted to shout the words as loudly as her lungs would allow. Instead she fumed at her mother's words and followed the path towards the elders' den. Pondripple may have loved them both at one point, but it was obvious she loved Smokekit more.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm really sorry it's taken so long to update... both this and Sharpest Thorn have kind of been put on hold, at least until I get my life sorted out. I will update them, but the updates won't be as often as they used to be. And again, I apologize for that :(<strong>

**QOTD: So, thoughts on Otterkit and Hailkit? Personally Hailkit's a bit too much like Thornpaw XD**

**Skyfrost14 - Yep, though I'm not telling you what her gift is until the next few chapters ;)**

**Frostdawn - I'll see what I can do. Maybe one of the future kits can be given that name :)**

**Silverbird22 - I love 'em both, honestly :P I got the demo a couple of weeks ago, and I love it! I also got the Trading Card Game from '98; that game was part of my childhood! And only one more week until Omega Ruby and Sapphire! :D**


	6. Chapter Five

**"Now remember when I told you that's the last you'll see of me, Remember when I broke you down to tears, I know I took the path that you, would never want for me I gave you hell through all the years, So I, I bet my life, I bet my life**...**" **I Bet My Life, Imagine Dragons

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER FIVE<strong>

"The kits are ready to become apprentices." Whiteflower's anxious mew made Blazekit peer outside the den. He had been awake all morning because of their anxious whispers. Whiteflower and Fernshadow were busy chattering outside. They hadn't even noticed that half of the kits were awake. "What are we going to do?"

"I'm not going to let those foxhearted cowards take away my kits," Fernshadow spat. The anger in her voice made Blazekit shrink away in fear. He hadn't heard the queens talk like this for some time now. But their worry started getting to him. He knew that something was up, and they wouldn't tell their own kits what was wrong.

"But that isn't your decision to make," Whiteflower pointed out. "Hollystar already said that she wouldn't hurt them, or let anyone else hurt them." Blazekit flinched when his mother looked in his direction. The longer he stayed here the more likely they would catch him.

Slowly but surely he backed away and let them continue. Mossykit and Wrenkit were already wide awake. They had heard the arguing as well and were glancing anxiously at the nursery entrance. Blazekit hung his head low as he joined them.

"So, what are they talking about?" Mossykit asked, eyes dark with worry as she pressed her nose to his fur. Blazekit resisted the urge to glare at her, having realized that she was aware of the dangers that lay outside.

"They were talking about what to do with us," he replied in an almost bitter tone. Mossykit stared at him in surprise until he explained what they had said. Her eyes widened in disbelief while Wrenkit glanced at her sister anxiously.

"But why the two of you?" Wrenkit asked in a whisper.

"I don't know," he muttered. Wrenkit was about to say something else when a yowl sounded from outside the nursery. Blazekit whipped around in time to see that Hollystar had jumped onto the Highledge. Her light golden pelt was fluffed out with unease as she gazed out across the hollow.

"Let all cats old enough gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" she called. Blazekit's heart nearly skipped with excitement. He had almost forgotten what today marked. Oakkit and Poppykit were the last to wake at the sound of Hollystar's yowl.

"Wha's—" Wrenkit didn't give her sister a chance to finish her yawn. Poppykit let out a squeal of surprise as Wrenkit toppled her over. It took a moment for Oakkit to register what was actually happening. Than his eyes widened in excitement.

"Come on you lot," Whiteflower purred after nearly getting trampled over by five kits. "Time for your ceremonies." Poppykit and Wrenkit were the first to rush out of the nursery, shoving past Whiteflower as she cleaned Oakkit's forehead. Somehow it had gotten dirty while he was sleeping.

Once all of her kits were well groomed, Whiteflower swept her tail across the nursery and led them out. Amberlight lifted her head as the four of them left the nursery. Blazekit didn't miss the look of relief in her eyes.

_She's probably glad to get some peace and quiet_, he thought with glee. Amberlight was the oldest queen in the nursery. But that didn't stop her from caring for every kit she could. She was after all, Hollystar's sister.

"By naming apprentices we show that our Clan will remain strong," Hollystar began as all five kits were placed in a perfect line. Well, as perfect as boisterous kits could get. Blazekit's paws were itching with anticipation at what lay ahead. "And it is with great honor that these kits shall become apprentices." There was a hidden meaning to her words that reflected in her eyes.

Blazekit looked at her in surprise as she gave Poppypaw and Wrenpaw their apprentice names. Hollystar had been with Whiteflower and Fernshadow during their many discussions. It was obvious that she was concerned for what future he and his denmates would have.

"Blazekit, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Blazepaw. Fuzzytail, you are a brave and young warrior, yet you have not had an apprentice. I hope that you can teach what you have learned to Blazepaw."

His heart nearly fell when he turned to Fuzzytail. The light gray tom flicked his namesake tail and touched noses with Blazekit. Fuzzytail was a young warrior with ambitions of his own. While he was quiet and even tempered, Blazekit had often heard him complaining about how the kits were allowed to live. He claimed that such kits shouldn't exist because they were a curse from StarClan. And of course Grayleaf had said that she had never heard such nonsense.

"Oakkit, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Oakpaw. Olivelight, you are ready for an apprentice. I expect you to pass on what you have learned to Oakpaw." Hollystar nodded in satisfaction as Oakpaw and Olivelight touched noses.

"Mossykit, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Mossypaw. Nutwhisker, you are ready for an apprentice as well. I expect you to teach Mossykit kindness and learn the fighting skills that you have in order to survive."

Nutwhisker's fur was fluffed out with pride as she touched noses with Mossypaw. The golden brown tabby was known for her fierce fighting skills, despite her gentle name. In fact, she often used her name and soft appearance to her advantage in battles. Or so Blazekit had heard from Coalheart.

"I can't believe we're apprentices now!" Mossypaw purred once the ceremony was over. Poppypaw was given Sorrelfern as a mentor, while Wrenpaw had gotten Leafstorm as a mentor. Both were good choices, as Sorrelfern was gentle and kind towards younger cats. Leafstorm could easily keep Wrenpaw in her place.

"Yeah, no more sleeping in the nursery for us," Blazepaw nodded in agreement. He couldn't wait to explore the forest and become a warrior. He could already picture himself becoming leader of the Clan. It was a good vision, and one that made him wish time would move faster.

"Let's go and explore the territory," Fuzzytail suggested. "It will be a good chance for you to stretch your legs." He glanced at Nutwhisker and Olivelight, who nodded in agreement. This was going to be a long day for the three mentors.

...

Poppypaw was fuming with jealousy as she trudged after the other apprentices. She could have gotten a better mentor. But instead she was stuck with Sorrelfern. Sorrelfern was a senior warrior, and showed obvious signs of aging.

_Why couldn't I get someone like Coalheart_? _Or Leafstorm_? she thought angrily. She tried shaking off the thoughts as they just finished exploring the territory. Since they were such a large group, they had to split up and explore different areas.

Sorrelfern was with Olivelight and Oakpaw, while Nutwhisker, Fuzzytail and Leafstorm had taken the others towards the ShadowClan border. Poppypaw didn't find the WindClan border all that exciting. What she did find interesting though were the different scents that filled her lungs.

She wasn't familiar with the forest or how many different scents there actually were out here. From the undergrowth to WindClan, to even the ferns that grew between her paws. To make matters even worse, she had seen many different colors around her Clanmates as well.

"Well, I suppose that everyone has seen the borders than," Sorrelfern meowed. Poppypaw rolled her eyes at the tone of Sorrelfern's voice. "We should start with some basic battle training since they're so new." Olivelight nodded in agreement as they reached the training hollow.

It was in a sandy clearing surrounded by many different types of trees. Poppypaw looked about her and noticed that the lights around Olivelight kept changing colors. They had changed from blue to purple and than to red when Oakpaw wouldn't stop talking. Now they were back to blue again.

"Oakpaw, I want you to try and attack me," Olivelight suggested as she stood beside Sorrelfern. Oakpaw was about two sizes bigger than Poppypaw. His strength and size gave him an advantage. She watched with interest as Oakpaw sized up his enemy.

_He couldn't tackle her that easy_, she reminded herself. He barely managed to pin down his own brother in their playfights. Blazepaw was faster and a bit more cunning than Oakpaw would ever admit. And Poppypaw herself rarely admitted that too.

Suddenly Oakpaw leaped forward, using his back legs to give him more speed and power. But Olivelight had seen the move coming. Instead of pinning her to the ground, Oakpaw only landed on the dirt face-first. Poppypaw held back a mrrow of laughter when he looked up in annoyance.

"Fighting isn't just about using brute strength," Sorrelfern explained as she dodged a quick attack from Olivelight. "Technique and skill are required in battle, especially when it comes to fighting more experienced warriors."

Olivelight barely had time to register what was happening when she was suddenly tripped to the ground. Sorrelfern simply turned around and gave her a curious look as she shook off the dust.

"Which is exactly what we will be teaching you," Olivelight meowed. She showed them another move that Poppypaw had seen the other apprentices practice. Fallenpaw had used the move many times on Mudpaw when he was making fun of her name.

Olivelight simply dropped to a crouch, using one paw to inch forward until she was suddenly behind Sorrelfern. The older cat was taken by surprise when Olivelight jumped on her shoulders, careful not to hurt her.

"By using that move you can sneak on any enemy," Sorrelfern explained after Olivelight climbed off. "Why don't you two try practicing it?" She nodded to Poppypaw and Oakpaw. Both young cats had been watching with interest until now.

Poppypaw turned to face Oakpaw and noticed the mischievous gleam in his eyes. With a roll of her own, she stalked away from him and hid herself in a patch of ferns. She crept around as slowly and quietly as her paws would allow before reaching the back of Sorrelfern. She was so focused on her mentor that she didn't even notice Oakpaw's advancement towards her. She let out a yowl of surprise when he suddenly landed on her, pinning her beneath his heavy paws.

"Looks like I win, yet again," he growled triumphantly before she pushed him off. Without warning Poppypaw lunged at him, ignoring the glares he sent her when she managed to pummel him with sheathed paws. Unlike her sibling, she wasn't going to let him push her around.

"That's enough," Olivelight growled as she pried him off. "We should get you two back. It's already getting late." Poppypaw held back a sigh of relief before sending him another glare. Oakpaw returned the look with a glare of his own as they headed back to camp.

"The Clans are supposed to meet up tomorrow night." Poppypaw's ears pricked forward when Sorrelfern whispered that. The light around her had suddenly changed to yellow as she glanced over her shoulder. "I'm worried about what decision they will make."

"It doesn't matter what the Clans say or do," Olivelight replied. The light around her had changed from blue to orange. Poppypaw tilted her head and wondered if that meant Olivelight was confused. "Hollystar already said that the kits will stay, no matter what."

_What does she mean by that_? Poppypaw wondered anxiously. She had heard other cats talking about it as well during her time alone. Something was clearly going to happen tomorrow night. And she was determined to find out what that something was.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry, I know these chapters have been kind of boring. Well, this one has anyways. But the next few will definitely pick up the pace :) And look at me finally updating this!<strong>

**QOTD: What do you think will happen to them?**

**Silverbird22 - XD You can refer to her as that :P And Otterkit is probably my favorite character out of all of them... although Poppypaw is a close second.**

**Skyfrost14 - It's fine, her name is spelled right :) And yeah, she is a bit of a jerk to her own kit.**

**Frostdawn - Hehe, thanks! I'm glad that you're enjoying it, and sorry for the lack of updates... life and all ;)**

**boscyboo - Thanks! And yeah, they really are alike... although Hailkit's going to be much more dangerous than Thornpaw, I can tell ya that much :P**


End file.
